Why I like the Legend of Zelda

I don’t really have a whole lot to write about most days.  This is largely due to the fact that I write off of my own experiences and what kind of things I’m working through myself (Maybe I’ll go down to one blog a week).

However, I can always talk about video games.

I’ve been running through the all of my Zelda games lately.  I just got on a kick of it I suppose.  I started with Ocarina of Time, then went to Majora’s Mask, and am now about 75% of the way through Twilight Princess (I will most likely play through Wind Waker as well).

I guess I just wanted to take a moment and express just why I like this series so much.

Obviously, the games largest appeal is because it fits into my “gamer personality”.  If you aren’t sure what yours is or if you just want to know what I’m referencing.  Check this article out; I think it captures most people really well.  I fell under the Adventurer and Casual Gaming categories.

Legend of Zelda games are, at their core, an adventure platformer.  I love being able to explore the world that is created.  I love being able to collect various gear (some reoccurring and some unique to each game), and I love experiencing the game as a whole.  Zelda games have always been exceptional at telling a story that can keep you on the edge of your seat and yet do it with such beautiful simplicity.  In fact, I would argue that at times every aspect of the game pulls the story together.  Not just the events or the dialog, but the art style used, the music, and even game mechanics.

Example: Skyward Sword, which has become one of my all-time favorites, uses an impressionist style of art.  You can see its influence when you look at some of the backgrounds which, at times, have an almost blurry, brush stroke effect.  However, every time there is conversation or a point of focus that blurriness dissipates so that the player understands where the important aspects lie. 

An example of game mechanics at work to tell the story is the learning curve the player experiences.  Still using Skyward Sword, the player gradually learns how to defeat different types of enemies and each one requires a different tactic.  So Link is learning how to fight just as much as the player as you control him.

Of course there are the cinematic that help, the dungeons you crawl through, even the bosses you fight.  They all contribute to the experience and overall story.

Of course, beyond the fantastic story that each one tells, there is the ingenuity that comes with each one as well.  Shigeru Miyamoto and his team have done everything they can to make each and every Zelda a familiar and simultaneously unique experience.  Even now, for the Wii U, his team is re-evaluating what a Zelda game looks like.  Which is why they are offering  Wind Waker HD  as a place holder.

• Ocarina of Time was the first 3D Zelda Game
• Majora’s Mask explored Shape Changes and the Power of a Mask
• Wind Waker was the first Ocean Exploring game (to my knowledge), and first to deviate from the “realistic” approach.
• Twilight Princess probably had the largest Hyrule Field and was one of the most expansive Zelda games to date.
• Skyward Sword gave us 1:1 sword movement and over 60 hours of exploration.

Each one different, each one unique, and each one holds a special place in my heart for different reasons.  That is why I have such a hard time pointing at one and saying that it is my absolute favorite.

The Legend of Zelda series will most likely always be one of my favorites.

However, I’m not going to fool myself into thinking that the games are for everyone.  Everyone has their own play style, and their own tastes.  Some are content to just play Call of Duty Multiplayer all day, or Halo, and some would rather play sports.  I personally love a variety of games from puzzles (Zack and Wiki anyone?) to Adventure (Zelda), platformers (Mario) to FPS (Borderlands and Halo) and everything in between.  If it has a good story or has mechanics that make sense I’m usually down with at least giving it a try.

And that’s where I will leave it.  I encourage my readers to give a Zelda game a try.  If it is your first I would suggest trying Twilight Princess or Skyward Sword personally.  And give it a real go, don’t just play the first 30 minutes and give up on it.

If you’ve never tried a video game at all, I suggest trying something as simple as Mario Kart or even Wii Bowling if that’s more in your line of play.  There are a lot of games out there that are fun and actually very helpful to relax.

Remember, video games are just as much a form of Art as they are a form of “entertainment”, and not all video games are going to “rot the brain” (studies have actually shown the opposite to be true).

Grace and Peace

Value of the Game

Something that I have been encountering a lot recently, more than ever before, is this question of the value of video games. This appraisal of value comes across in many forms: is it a legitimate form of art? Does it incur violent feelings? Is it good for the mind? Etc. I am a little amazed at the sheer volume of questions and varying opinions that are produced by this topic, and to that end I want to add in my two cents (and I want to be consistent at these posts), by attempting to procure my own view on at least two of these questions; the artistic and mentally stimulating value of video games. I dare not touch on the behavioral values of video games as I believe that the idea is mostly absurd and boils down to, in my opinion, parental disciplines and not the games themselves (as is true for any form of art).

Artistic Value

I wanted to touch on this one first as I feel it is the most passionate topic of the two for me. The short answer opinion is that I believe video games are completely and totally valuable as art.

Art is by definition meant to express something. According to dictionary.com art is defined as:

The quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.

If nothing else, video games have certainly become aesthetically pleasing. However, graphics are not the only thing that contributes to the art value of video games. I would even go so far to say that the most significant aspect is the principle of engagement. Every work of art has to engage the target (I say target because art can be heard and felt as much as it can be seen) in some way. More traditional art such as paintings engage the appreciation for beauty and engages the mind. When the person is looking at the painting, sculpture, etc. one thing that is commonly asked is: What was the artist trying to say? We ask this because we know that art, in any form is an expression.

What about music? There is no denial that music is beautiful and often thought provoking. Studies have been conducted that show how music affects us as a society, and it is surprising some of the results you’ll find. Music is completely an engaging form of art; to feel and understand the emotion behind any musical expression one must be engaged.

Story, either written or cinematic is also beautiful. How many times have you read a particular aspect of a story and thought, “Wow, I love how that turned out!”? Or how about when watching a movie and a particular nice angle occurs? Can you honestly say that you were not impressed by some cinematography? Same is true for still shots. Stories are engaging too in a very obvious way; they draw you into the world they are creating and make you a part of it, if only for a time.

So, what about video games? I think that video games are the epitome of these other venue of arts. Video games are often full of stunning and beautiful landscapes, incredibly interesting characters in a dynamic story, portrayed in perfect cinematography, and accompanied by astounding soundtracks. Are they engaging? I think that point argues itself. The very mechanics of a game demand that the player be able to engage and interact with the environment of the game. Then if you get into some of the mental stimulation that many games present through use of puzzles and dungeons and it is hard to argue that these works of art are not engaging or expressive.

Back to my short answer: should video games be considered art? To us a phrase my wife would say, “Most indubitably!”

Mental Value

I believe I have already touched on this a little bit in the discussion of the artistic value. Like I said, many games are very puzzle oriented and require the player to use problem solving skills to complete these puzzles. Some prime examples of larger games that require puzzle solving would be The Adventures of Zack and Wiki, Prince of Persia, Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy just to name a few. Some others of course are more recognizable like Bejeweled and Solitaire. I guess what I’m getting at is that video games can be educational and good for any person’s mind even if the story is fantasy or otherwise. Even Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto (which I don’t really care for) require quite of bit of strategy from time to time as the challenges become progressively tougher to overcome. I’ve even played games that have taught me how to solve a few math problems that I had no clue even existed before I played the game!

A prime example is in a game called Knights of the Old Republic. It is a Star Wars game that allows you to travel and explore these different worlds in the Star Wars universe as a Jedi Knight. The story of the game is great, but the example actually has to do with a side quest. On the desert planet of Tatooine, there is an individual who has been trapped by his hunting droids due to his scorned wife. To save the man you have to deactivate the droids by figuring out the mathematical solutions to different algorithms. As simple as it sounds, some of these questions are not easy, and I’m pretty sure I only succeeded it by guessing correctly on at least 2 of the 4 or 5 droids that were there. That example is not singular to my own personal experience in any way either.

You could probably search for these things on Google. I know I am not the only one who believes that video games stimulate your mind. In fact, I read an article recently that stated that senior citizens who played video games tended to be more lucid than those who did not. This is evidenced even in my own life as my wife’s grandmother was a sharp woman up until the day she died, and this is largely in part due to the time she spent playing Bejeweled.

I think another important value that video games have is this ability to relieve stress. I place this under mental because many times our stress is started by, continued through, or relieved through mental activity.

What I mean by this relief is that, just like a good book, or listening to your favorite cd, or even watching a movie, a video game allows the player to –escape if you will permit the term –from the stresses of the day for a little bit and allow some time to rest. I believe that rest is essential to human existence, and I know very few people who might argue otherwise. Every form of art I have encountered can aid in resting from time to time, and I see why video games should be any different. This is why I say that video games have value.

I could even go into the “Evangelism” aspect of video games, but let’s be honest. No one plays games to get preached at, they play to relax; and, in all honesty, that should be a separate post if I really wanted to pursue that topic (which I don’t, at least, right now).

Grace and Peace

Ramble Ramble Ramble...

I know it's been ages since I last posted anything. I think most of that is because I haven't known what to write about, and I still don't really. I just wanted the few faithful followers out there to know that I'm still alive.

This month has been super tight with money. I have had a large unexpected utilities bill to pay (close to $300) and it definitely made getting other things we need very difficult to buy. On top of that, just a couple of days ago our fridge decided it wanted to stop producing cold air. So I food slowly spoiled over the following two days until we got a new fridge. To explain that: I did call the landlord as soon as I figured out what was going on, he took a look at it and called an appliance repair place who in turn was supposed to call me at some point later that day or the next. That person never called me, so the landlord decided to take one of the fridges from a different apartment and replace it with our broken one after making sure it worked. I am thankful that God has been providing in that way.

On the side of work I don't suppose there is a whole lot to say. I was a little frustrated last Wednesday when I was suddenly informed that I only had 10 minutes to teach a lesson that I had planned on using at least 20 for. It was a little rough to say the least. However, my grumpiness toward different individuals was my fault, and God was quick to remind me that everything is according to what He wants and not what I want. Got a meeting with a couple of people who are willing to work with the youth with me. I'm thinking I'll just have us meet Saturday after practice if all goes well. Praise God for His willingness to provide in that situation as well. Which reminds me, the choir is doing their Easter cantata called "The Way, The Truth, and The Life". They have worked hard on it, but I don't think that they will sing the way I want them to as well as they did during Christmas. However, that is OK because I know that their hearts are in the right place and the church will enjoy listening to the choir, and hopefully (and more importantly), people will be able to worship with us.

There is a song in the cantata called "What Wondrous Love". I feel like it brings the rest of the cantata together. When I listen to it I get shivers all over, and I am reminded of just how much God loves me and takes care of me. And that has been something that has proven to be a constant over the past year is just that God isn't going to allow me to just drop off the face of the earth. He will carry me when the times are hardest, and let me run around and play when the times are easy, but during either time His ever loving watchful eye is over me, as if He has some massive plan for me that I still don't know about.

I can't even figure out what I really want to do.

Ah well, such is the way of life. I guess this was a pretty decent update.

Grace and Peace